" It is difficult for the concerns of the Christian
faith to be adequately met in one sole political entity; to claim that one party
or political coalition responds completely to the demands of faith or of
Christian life would give rise to dangerous errors. Christians cannot find one
party that fully corresponds to the ethical demands arising from faith and from
membership in the Church. Their adherence to a political alliance will never be
ideological but always critical; in this way the party and its political
platform will be prompted to be ever more conscientious in attaining the true
common good, including the spiritual end of the human person"

(Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (Vatican City): The Compendium
of the Social Doctrine of the Church, n. 573).

"Parties are a human invention. They're
handy because they help people to organize for a political expression but
political parties are not God. They are not even divinely instituted
organizations. And if the platform of a particular political party would
advocate something which is contrary to our beliefs we cannot support that
aspect of the party's program and I don't think that candidates who are
Catholics can be expected to advocate part of that political program."

Archbishop John Foley, President of the Pontifical Council
for Social Communications, Vatican City

"All rights presuppose the right to
life. If the right to life is not defended, the defense of all other rights is
useless. It becomes a lie, because it would mean that the defense to the right
to work, to society, etc. applies only to some, and not to all."

Bishop Elio Sgreccia, Vice-President of the Pontifical
Academy for Life, Vatican City

"The Holy Father speaks of the
protection of life as the fundamental realization and respect for human rights.
Without that realization, without that respect for the right to life, no other
discussion of human rights can continue; it must be based upon the foundation of
human dignity and the right to life."

Cardinal Renato Martino, President of the Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace, Vatican City

"Party loyalty is and must be a secondary
value, often very important, but nonetheless, secondary. Political parties have
the obligation to defend the common good, and where the political party no
longer defends the common good, but rather only ideological interests, then the
members of that party are obliged to vote against the party. They are obliged."

Bishop Karl Romer, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for
the Family, Vatican City

"Faithful Christians have a duty to participate in
society by voting so that they may advance the common good. The common good is
defined as the good of all. 'The good of the majority' is not at all the same
thing as 'the good of al.’"

Bishop Elio Sgreccia, Vice-President of the Pontifical
Academy for Life, Vatican City